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Tag Archives: research

For many years now, various plastic items have been in use for different purposes and under different conditions. These items are light in weight, cheap and some can be reused, if handled properly. These items are popular on account of these characteristics of plastic. With lot of ingenuity, many different uses have been found successfully. This is the positive side. But there is a very big negative side viz, plastic is non-biodegradable. It cannot be destroyed. Plastic carry bags have been in use for a long time and they are very thin, very light and very strong to sustain weight. But their use is mostly on single use basis. These carry bags or similar plastic bags are normally thrown by the people here and there, get carried by wind here and there. They also choke the outlets, drains etc., if they happen to reach there and due to their being impervious to water, a blockage is created and spillage of sewage water etc. takes place. These bags and other waste items, reach waste depots(collection poimts), where these bags get accumulated along with many other items. Many cows inadvertently eat these plastic bags also, along with food wastes and other items. Many cows have died due to this reason, since on post mortem of some cows, huge number of such bags, have been recovered from their stomach. This is a very tragic situation. In the past, efforts to ban uses of such items of plastic, have not been successful. For this purpose, cooperation of the general public is required to be sought. Also coordinated research has to be undertaken at higher level so that we can find a method by which the plastic can become bio-degradable and then the problem will reduce considerably.
Another alarming situation is said to be due to the use of plastic for making artificial rice, cabbage, namkeen Bikaneri sev and some other items. The general public is unable to verify and differentiate natural supply from the artificial supply and the damage to health of all of us is going on. We must jointly correct this situation, by changing the attitude and mindset of the people. We should find alternatives to use of plastic items and bring strong legislation to counter the strong urge to use plastic items. People at all levels, including in schools and colleges, must be made aware and conscious of proper waste management esp. for plastic. If there are plastic items which are large and can be reused, they may be allowed as a special case for the time being. The alternatives to plastic must be clearly spelled out and advised for use. Appropriate directives have also to be given to the producers of such plastic items.